DMBM510160 - Customer contact and data security: introduction: contact by letter, email or fax
The majority of this manual will be archived on 30 Apr 2024. If there is content within this manual you use regularly, email hmrcmanualsteam@hmrc.gov.uk to let us know.
Letters
As part of your normal day to day business in Debt Management as well as telephoning the individual, often you will be required to send out written correspondence to the customer.
This could be because
- you have not been able to reach them on the phone,
- they have not stuck to an arranged agreement,
- they are unable to speak to you via the telephone because of a personal issue,
- you are warning them of further enforcement action
- you are confirming a TTP or another arrangement and so on.
You should always use HMRC’s official letters, most of which are now found on the SEES system. These letters have been designed and written by policy and subject experts and have been checked and signed off for clarity and plain English by our communication team.
As well as manual letter sending, IDMS will issue automatic ones direct from the system when a debt becomes due. You can also prompt the issue of automatic IDMS letters via the system by selecting this.
Due to data security issues, HMRC has very specific guidelines on when you can use email as a way of communicating with your customer, situations why you would use this and the correct procedure to follow to ensure protection of the customers data at all times. (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)DMBM512620(This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
Faxes
Occasionally you may need to receive or send a fax to a customer. This could be to save time or because the customer is not at their usual address. There are specific departmental guidelines on the use of external faxes and these must be observed at all times in order to protect the information we are sending or receiving.
(This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)DMBM512630(This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)